


Consequences

by ami_ven



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Community: mcsheplets, First Kiss, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-09
Updated: 2016-06-09
Packaged: 2018-07-13 23:51:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7143587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ami_ven/pseuds/ami_ven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John hadn’t expected to still be alive, this time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Consequences

**Author's Note:**

> Written for LJ community "mcsheplets" prompt #069 "awkward"

John landed the puddle jumper back in the hangar, feeling somehow numb but still tingle all over.

He was alive.

He hadn’t expected to be, this time.

John had known that Rodney would save the city— doubting that had never even occurred to him, after all these years, after all the times Rodney had pulled off the impossible when anyone else couldn’t have managed the slightly difficult. But, this time, it had really seemed like he wouldn’t survive it himself, like saving Atlantis and saving John were goals too far apart for even Rodney and his miracles to accomplish them both.

Except, he had.

John was alive and he was going to have to face the consequences of his actions. He let down the ‘jumper’s ramp and was unsurprised to see that the landing bay was empty except for Rodney, who glared at him, arms crossed.

“Hey, good work, McKay,” John said, trying to postpone his fate for another few seconds. “Although, if you’d taken any longer, I could have—”

Rodney could move fast when he wanted to, and John barely had time to brace himself for the resounding _smack_ to the back of his head.

“What the hell were you thinking?” Rodney demanded. “One puddle jumper against… against… you could have _died_!”

“But I didn’t,” John said, hoping he would take the opening to brag about his miracle-working, but Rodney took a deep breath.

“You kissed me.”

“Yes,” said John.

There was no reason to deny it now. He’d meant it to be something quick, something he could hold onto at the end and that Rodney could dismiss as too much danger and adrenaline. But the moment their lips touched, John couldn’t help himself, and he knew that Rodney must have felt at least _some_ of the want and need and regret and love in that kiss.

“You _kissed_ me,” Rodney repeated.

“Yes,” John said again.

He wished they could get over this awkward part quickly. It couldn’t ruin a friendship as deep as theirs, John knew, one kiss in the heat of the moment, but it would be weird for a while. Hopefully a short while, because John was still feeling a little shaky from his latest not-dying and he could really use Rodney being steady right about now.

“You kissed me,” said Rodney, his voice stronger. Steadier. Good.

“ _Yes_ , I kissed you,” said John. “I kissed you, and I’m sorry—”

Rodney took a step toward him and John braced himself for another smack, but it never came. Instead, Rodney pulled him into a fierce hug, using all the strength in those broad shoulders to hold him close.

“Don’t you dare be sorry for that,” he hissed in John’s ear. “Be sorry for almost dying, _again_. Be sorry for not kissing me sooner, you self-sacrificing bastard. Be sorry for all the time we’ve wasted, if you had just _said_ something—”

“I didn’t know,” said John. “I’ve just— I’ve loved you for so long that I didn’t realize—”

Rodney pulled back to look at him. “Until you kissed me?”

John tried to duck his head, but Rodney kissed him again, long and slow.

“See, the data is conclusive,” Rodney said, when they broke for air. “We’re in love.”

John laughed and kept on kissing him.

THE END


End file.
